The hidden power of curiosity

We live in a world where answers arrive instantly and algorithms predict what we want to see. Every spare moment can be filled with information, entertainment, or distraction. But what do we lose when there is no room left for wondering?

I often say that curiosity can solve almost anything. Think about it: curiosity pushes us to learn about the world around us. It motivates us to understand why people believe what they do rather than immediately judging them. It helps us build stronger relationships and connections. It’s the force behind exploration, innovation, and discovery. It’s the desire to search for what’s missing. It’s a way of moving through the world.

I’ve even written an Ode to Curiosity.

We often think of curiosity as a personality trait—something you either have or you don’t. But curiosity can also be a practice, one that can be cultivated and strengthened over time.

That’s why I was excited to speak with Lauren Henkin, founder of The Humane Space, a Maine-based company that helps people foster daily curiosity, wonder, and awe—for greater wellbeing. Through a variety of experiences from lifelong learning to guided visualization, The Humane Space helps people slow down, think deeply, and reconnect with their innate sense of curiosity.

Our conversation wandered through everything from awe, creativity, and boredom to social media, AI, and the value of getting lost—literally and figuratively. We discussed why some of our best ideas emerge when we’re not trying to be productive, why uncertainty can be a gift, and how curiosity can become a deliberate practice rather than a passing impulse.

Trained as an architect at Washington University in St. Louis, Lauren is also an award-winning artist whose work has been exhibited in museums and galleries around the world. Her photographs and sculptures reside in the collections of institutions including the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Portland Art Museum, the High Museum of Art, and Yale University.

This conversation is a reminder that some of life’s most valuable experiences begin not with answers, but with a willingness to remain open to the unknown.

I hope you enjoy it.